


bring me right back down to earth

by sushishin



Series: Camelove 2021: Gillventures [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Era, Canon-Typical Violence, Episode Tag, Episode: s03e11 The Sorcerer's Shadow, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-11 23:20:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29375568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sushishin/pseuds/sushishin
Summary: It was just a turn of the wrist.Merlin's magic was strong, but Gilli was fast. He tucked his chin to hide the flash of gold in his eyes, and with a thought, his sword was unstuck; in a blink, it pierced Uther’s eye. Then there was silence, save for the hacking cough of a dying tyrant.Uther dies.
Relationships: Gilli & Merlin (Merlin)
Series: Camelove 2021: Gillventures [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2150928
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22
Collections: Camelove 2021





	bring me right back down to earth

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Camelove 2021 - Day 4: Cupid's Aro

It was just a turn of the wrist. 

Merlin's magic was strong, but Gilli was fast. He tucked his chin to hide the flash of gold in his eyes, and with a thought, his sword was unstuck; in a blink, it pierced Uther’s eye. 

Then there was silence, save for the hacking cough of a dying tyrant. 

Gilli hadn’t grown up with stories of monsters in the dark: it was Uther who lurked under his bed; it was Uther who hid behind every tree in the shadows of the forest; it was Uther who would crawl up from the bottom of the well, if Gilli were to turn his back on it. His mother had held him tightly and said not to be scared: Uther was far, far away, and that Gilli was safe here, always. Strange, how things turned out; it wasn’t Uther who had killed his father, in the end. But Gilli knew who had made his father fear his magic in the first place. 

Someone screamed, but the sound didn’t seem to penetrate; it was as if Gilli’s ears were stuffed with cotton. Distantly, he thought he may be sick. Then someone grabbed his arms, roughly shoved them behind his back, and dragged him backwards, but he couldn’t stop looking at the body.

The prince was kneeling at its side, weeping. 

Gilli closed his eyes. 

* * *

The prince - well, the king, now, Gilli supposed - had wanted to throw him in the dungeons and execute him for treason, but Uther had won the kingdom in the very same tournament. So Gilli was free, and a hundred gold pieces richer. 

Gilli hadn’t exactly been kicked out of his room, but he had been happy to leave, anyway. The stares from the townspeople distinctly unfriendly, which was nothing he wasn’t used to, but still, it stung; when, exactly, was he going to feel glad of what he had done? It was a victory, surely, so why did his chest feel so tight?

Merlin found him before he left, of course. 

“You didn’t say anything.”

“No, I won’t betray our kind,” said Merlin, “Even if you betrayed us all.” 

But Gilli hadn’t, had he? “I didn’t.”

“You used your magic for your own pride! That’s not what it’s supposed to be _for_.”

It was last night all over again, and anger seemed to rouse him: it was easy to find the words, now. “It’s not _for_ anything, if we can’t even use it. You should be thanking me!”

“What? No, I’m not thanking you. You should be using your magic for good!”

“For good?” His chest felt freer, now that he was yelling. “What other good could I do, if not ridding the world of someone like him?”

“That’s not - ” 

“How long would have made us wait? How many more of our kind would have had to burn, to pay for this dream?” Tears pricked at his eyes; he let them fall. “Why don’t you understand? Who are you protecting?”

Merlin’s eyes were glassy, too.

“You may not think it’s better,” said Gilli, quietly, “But he’s gone, and there’s nothing you can do.” 

“No, there isn’t,” Merlin sighed, and held out a hand. “I have to get back to Arthur, but Gilli… you shouldn’t be alone.”

Gilli looked at him: there was an odd expression on his face, and a certain distant look in his eye. It made sense, now. “You’ve killed someone, too, haven’t you?” Merlin’s grip tightened, almost to the point of bruising, before dropping his hand abruptly. He didn’t answer. “It’s alright. I understand.”

“You really, really, don’t.”

“Then help me understand! We’re kin, you and I, we should stick together.”

“Gilli…”

The path forward was clear; Gilli was not going to let this come between them any more. “I’m going to leave,” said Gilli, “But I’m going to come back, when people have forgotten my face. Because sticking together, that’s what’s important. Sticking together, and bringing magic back.”

Merlin’s eyes regain some of their fire. “And then - we’ll be free.”

“Yes.” Gilli reached out, squeezed Merlin’s hand. “Finally, we’ll be free.”

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from 'Love Love' by Take That


End file.
